Canine Vesicourachal Diverticula

Nine cases of canine vesicourachal diverticula associated with symptoms of lower urinary tract infection were evaluated. Proteus sp urinary tract infection was identified in 6 of 7 cases in which urine cultures were performed. A diverticulum was demonstrated in all cases by contrast urocystography. Surgical excision of the diverticula followed by administration of antimicrobial agents for an appropriate period usually produced eradication of clinical symptoms. Resolution of recurrent urinary tract infection following excision of the urachal diverticula would indicate that these anomalous structures are a predisposing cause of bacterial infection of the urinary tract.     

Nutrient losses after clearfelling in Beddgelert Forest: a comparison of the effects of conventional and whole-tree harvest on soil water chemistry

The effects of conventional, bole only harvesting (CH) and whole-treeharvesting (WTH) on major inorganic nutrient concentrations(K, NO₃-N, NH₄-N, PO₄-P and Ca) in soil water are describedfrom Beddgelert forest in North Wales. Monitoring of nutrientleaching losses, and the timing thereof, from brash throughthe soil and into streams draining the CH areas allowed assessmentsto be made of the value of brash as a nutrient source for secondrotation crops. Most of the K (around 100 kg ha^–1) and one-third of theP (10 out of 30 kg ha^–1) leached out of the brash lyingon the CH plots within one year of felling. A pulse of K passedthrough the soil profile, but less than half this K reachedthe streams. In contrast, the P was immobilized in the soil.The lack of brash resulted in the absence of K and P pulseson the WTH plots. On the CH plots, brash was a net sink forinorganic-N for 3 years after felling. However, in both CH andWTH, a pulse of nitrate was observed in the soil and also instreams draining CH areas. The source of this nitrate may havebeen death of fine tree roots, followed by rapid mineralizationand nitrification. Calculation of a nutrient budget for a complete crop rotationindicates that P and Ca losses in harvested material are likelyto result in long-term depletion of these elements, and thatthe effects will be significantly more severe if WTH is practised.     

The host range of beet yellowing viruses among common arable weed species

Twenty common arable weed species were inoculated using Myzus persicae to transmit beet yellows virus (BYV), beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV), and an isolate of beet western yellows viruses (BWYV) that did not infect beet. The viruses were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in which monoclonal antibodies distinguished between BMYV and BWYV, and by aphid transmissions to indicator host plants. Spergula arvensis, Stellaria media, Lamium purpureum and Papaver rhoeas were susceptible to all three viruses whereas Senecio vulgaris, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Anagallis arvensis and Chrysanthemum segetum were susceptible to both BMYV and BWYV, and Matricaria perforata, Raphanus raphanistrum, Veronica persica, Urtica urens and Viola arvensis were susceptible to BWYV only. Atriplex patula, Chenopodium album and Portulaca oleracea were susceptible to BYV only. Myosotis arvensis, Silene alba, Poa annua and Solanum nigrum were not susceptible to any of the viruses. Portulaca oleracea was shown for the first time to be a host of BYV, and C. segetum a host of BMYV and BWYV. In spring 1991, 8% of weeds sampled in a field of autumn-sown oilseed rape contained BWYV. Tests on weeds collected from an area of 'set-side' adjacent to sugar beet showed that 3% contained BMYV and 3% BWYV. No sampled weeds were infected with BYV. The role of weeds in the epidemiology of sugar beet virus yellows is discussed.     

Reproductive Parameters of Mangalarga Marchador Mares in a Commercial Embryo Transfer Programme

The objective of this study is to evaluate the reproductive efficiency in donors and recipient Mangalarga Marchador mares in commercial programmes of embryo transfer (ET) and the effects of some reproductive characteristics and ET methodology on conception rates in the recipient mares. A total of 1140 flushing procedures were performed and 830 embryos (72.8%) were recovered. There were no differences between the rates of embryonic recovery in the different breeding seasons (p > 0.05) and 92.8% of the recovered embryos were 8–9 days old. There was no difference in the embryonic recovery regarding the collection order from the first to the ninth embryo collection along the breeding season, as well as among mares inseminated during the foal heat or subsequent cycles (p > 0.05). Pregnancy rates observed in the total period of all reproductive seasons at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of pregnancy were 73.4, 69.9, 66.7 and 64.5%, respectively. Differences in pregnancy rate and early embryonic loss rates were not observed between embryos transferred immediately after collection (66.8% and 13.5%) and embryos transported at room temperature for periods of <1 h (62.9% and 14.4%; p > 0.05). Pregnancy rates were higher when the interval between ovulations of donor and recipient mares remained between ?3 and ?2 days (p < 0.05), and the lowest rates were observed for intervals of ?6 days (p < 0.05) with intermediary values for intervals of ?1, 0 and +1 (p > 0.05). Embryonic loss rates, however, did not differ between intervals of ovulation’s synchronism between donor and recipient mares (p > 0.05). This flexibilization in the ovulatory synchronism between donor and recipient mares optimizes the use of recipient mares, thus reducing costs and facilitating management of horse breeding farms.     

Field trials evaluating ivermectin controlled-release capsules for weaner sheep and for breeding ewes

Objective To confirm the efficacy of ivermectin released from a controlled-release capsule administered to young sheep and to breeding ewes under field conditions. Design Randomised field trials. Procedure In each of ten field trials 25 weaned lambs were treated with ivermectin controlled-release capsules and 25 remained untreated. Eight similar field trials were conducted using adult ewes. Efficacy against infections of gastrointestinal nematodes was assessed by faecal egg counts and faecal larval culture. Body weights were recorded and faecal soiling of the breech wool (dags) was assessed. Results Nematode faecal egg counts in the two groups were not different (P = 0.13) before treatment in the weaner trials or before treatment in the ewe trials (P = 0.49), but thereafter eggs in the untreated sheep persisted, whereas counts in sheep given capsules were negligible (P ≤ 0.01). In the weaner trials, dag scores for the two groups were not different at the start of the trials (P = 0.18) but at the end, untreated sheep had significantly more dags (P = 0.04) than treated sheep. In the ewe trials, dag scores remained low in both groups. Weaners treated with the capsule gained 1.4 kg (95% CL: 0.7, 3.1) more weight over the 16 week trial period compared to untreated weaners (P = 0.01). Both groups of ewes lost weight as a result of parturition but the mean loss by week 16 was greater for untreated (3.7 kg) (95% CL: -5.1,-2.2) than for treated ewes (1.8 kg) (95% CL: -3.3, -0.4). The mean change in ewe body weight for the two groups was however not significant (P = 0.07). Differentiation of nematode larvae recovered from cultures of faeces from untreated animals indicated that the capsules were effective against the common parasites of sheep. Conclusion The capsule was efficacious against gastrointestinal nematodes judging from faecal egg counts. It has the potential to significantly reduce contamination of pasture with nematode eggs. Treated weaners had less dags for 16 weeks and gained more weight than untreated weaners.     

Efficacy of ivermectin in a controlled-release capsule for the control of breech strike in sheep

Objective To investigate the efficacy of ivermectin in an intraruminal controlled-release capsule (CRC) against blowfly strike.
Design Pen and field trials with controls.
Animals Pen studies: Two breech strike trials involving 60 Romney and 60 Merino sheep. One body strike trial using 100 Merino sheep.
Field trials: Eight trials in New Zealand used 1000 Romney and Romney-cross sheep. Fifty Merino lambs in one trial in Australia.
Procedure Pen studies: Sheep were allocated to two equal groups. One was not treated, the other sheep received a CRC that delivered ivermectin at 20 μg/kg/day for 100 days. In the breech strike trials, each animal was given an oral laxative 2 days before exposure to adult Lucilia cuprina . In the body-strike trial, the sheep sheep were kept wet to increase susceptibility prior to the release of blowflies.
Field trials: Fifty or 200 sheep allocated to equal groups of nontreated or treated with the CRC and grazed at pasture exposed to natural blowfly challenge.
Results Pen studies: Breech strikes developed in 24 of 60 controls but in none of 60 CRC-treated sheep. There was a 35% reduction in the number of CRC-treated sheep struck on the body.
Field trials: The average number of breech strikes in CRC-treated sheep was reduced by 86% (P < 0.001). The number of body strikes in the treated groups was a reduced by 27% (P < 0.05).
Conclusion The ivermectin CRC is a useful aid in controlling breech strike, but provides only moderate reduction in the incidence of body strike.